More Than Meets The Eye
by The Lost Souls of Avalon
Summary: Ambassador Potter is sent to the States to supervise the drafting of the treaty between mankind and the Autobots. He gets a lot more than he bargains for, however. Warnings inside.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and Transformers to Hasbro, Takara, with movie rights to Michael Bay. Lost Souls makes no claims of ownership over either and solemnly asks not to be sued, because this is a nonprofit text with the sole purpose of amusing one's self without monetary gain and is in no way meant to undermine the original creators' authority.

**More Than Meets The Eye** by _The Lost Souls of Avalon_

A Harry Potter/Live-action Transformers crossover.

_Ambassador Potter is used to weird things; he's a wizard, after all. But even he isn't prepared for the summons that takes him to a treaty conference between mankind and the Autobots, a potential partnership that may change the course of Earth's future, for better or for worse._

Rated: Mature

Warnings: Foul language, slash, femslash, sexual content, mech x human, holo x human, mech x mech, violence, AUish

Pairings: Harry x Optimus, Sam x Bee, Will x Ironhide, Mikaela x Maggie, Ron x Hermione, Luna x Neville, Draco x Ginny

Author's note: Takes place after Transformers live-action movie and before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Is not HP Epilogue-compliant. Note on title: Yeah, I know. It's oh so original. And finally: shout out to the super cool Dresden Files book series. I borrowed Dresden because he's too awesome to leave out. Unfortunately, he belongs to the equally super cool Jim Butcher. Oh snap!

* * *

**Chapter 1**: The Department of Muggle & Interspecies Relations

Head Auror Gawain Robards handed him the stack of case files, a grim line creasing his forehead. "Five deaths, Potter, confirmed vampire kills, in the past month. The Wizengamot is looking to dissolve the treaty with the Vampire Courts if the culprits aren't found and dealt with promptly." With a hand, he gestured for his fellow Auror to sit across from him at his desk.

Harry sunk heavily into the awaiting chair, gazing down at the five folders, each containing records and autopsies of five very unlucky individuals, in his hands. They were each thin and of insubstantial mass, but together, with the Wizengamot's decision looming overhead, they felt like a ton weighing on his arms. He set them down, but the weight remained, pressuring his shoulders into an unseemly slump. It took a great deal of effort to flip through them and see the damning evidence for himself, but it was all there in indelible ink. Well, _shit_.

Leaning back, Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. _Damn it_. The treaty between Britain and its accompanying vampire population had taken over five years to hash out into a working frame to last for numerous decades, if not centuries, but it depended solely on the parties' determination to abide by the agreed upon conditions. If one party didn't follow through, then it would all go to waste. And that, to be frank, pissed him off, though he hid it behind a carefully sculpted mask. "The Delacroix clan is local. I can speak with Taliesin and see if he knows anything."

Taliesin Delacroix was an old vampire with many Children, making his clan one of the most extensive known in Europe. They were a lawful group and one Harry knew personally, which was a plus. He was a direct donor, in fact, as the black and silver tattoo on the inside of his left wrist indicated, so he was actually quite close to its leader. If anyone could help them catch the killers, or just get a scrap of information, it was Taliesin.

"Will you be talking to him as an Auror or Ambassador?" Robards' eyebrows were quirked, one higher than the other, but there was a small upward turn to the side of his mouth, as if amused. For all of Harry's flexibility and adaptability in both his jobs, it was still a bit sketchy to the officials for him to act as both simultaneously. Law enforcement and diplomacy just didn't seem to go hand-in-hand in the Wizarding World; it was nothing short of a miracle that this young man could pull off both.

Harry gave his boss and friend a telling sour look. He knew very well the difficulty his superiors had with his conflicting jobs. "Either an Auror with diplomatic authority or Ambassador with Auror training, I suppose," he said dryly. "In this case, since it concerns both murder and a breech of contract, I believe I should approach this from an Auror's perspective with ambassadorial power." He angled his head slightly to one side as if in thought, sending his raven fringe askew and revealing the pale lightning bolt scar that had faded dramatically since Voldemort's defeat and death. "Taliesin would talk with me regardless."

"True enough." Robards flicked his hand to draw out a memo and began to scribble a short note on it. "With permission from myself, Ms. Greengrass, and Mr. Thomas, it's possible that Minister Shacklebolt will allow you to act simultaneously as Auror and Ambassador in this matter, sensitive as it is. We'll need all the ammunition we can get in this case. A lot is at _stake_." With a whish, he signed the missive and spelled it into a folded plane before directing it out the door and towards the Minister for Magic's office.

Harry stood and stacked the files, making sure they were straight. His slightly weary green eyes regarded his superior fondly. "Thank you, sir, for giving me a heads up."

Robards nodded. He was well aware how important this was to Harry. "I want this resolved just as much as you."

Dipping his head in acknowledgment, Harry pivoted about on his heel and left the Head Auror's office. The Department of Muggle & Interspecies Relations was on level four where the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures used to be. MIR was a relatively new department in the Ministry of Magic, advocated at the start of the twenty-first century by a small team of young Muggle-borns and half-bloods, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom (though a pureblood) at its core.

Reality was, the Muggle world was advancing insanely fast and the Wizarding world was straggling along in its medieval mindset. There were increasingly more Muggleborns, bringing the two worlds into contact more and more each year until they would inevitably collide in potentially catastrophic proportions, unless something was done to cross the gap on equal ground. MIR had been created in part to bridge that gap, wanting not only for the Ministry to work closer with the Muggle Prime Minister for better coordinated efforts in rebuilding, but to also introduce modern technology and conveniences from the Muggle world to the Wizarding population. A committee had been organized to attempt and reconcile Muggle technology with magic and now in 2007, they were enjoying the electro-magic mobile, computerized magical consoles, even microwave ovens (most Muggle appliances only needed to be equipped with a special conduit that allowed magic energies and electricity to operate in close proximity without actually crossing each other). Harry himself was fond of the magically-modified iPod.

Harry's expertise, however, was in interspecies relations. He'd be lying if he said that it had nothing to do with his father being friends with the werewolf Remus Lupin, because in all honesty, it was for that sole reason that Harry advocated so vigorously for equal rights for part-humans and even non-humans. Werewolves were no longer restricted as they once were and a Potion Masters Association had taken up the task of making Wolfsbane in bulk quantities, funded by charities. Centaurs were given reserves of land where they could reside without interference from wizards, but diplomatic ties were upheld. Goblins had many rights they had long since fought for, and although they remained stewards of Gringotts, they were gradually being accepted and revered for the clever and crafty beings they were. Even a system to prevent the mistreatment of house-elves was being utilized.

But perhaps the greatest achievement was the Vampire Accords, which was in serious jeopardy. Harry couldn't let that happen. The balance was a precarious thing, a series of guidelines and regulations for both parties to follow, lest chaos overrun them all. He quickened his pace towards the lift that would take him to level four. On his way, he may or may not have paused to chatter idly with one Ministry personnel or another, but never long enough to divert his attention elsewhere.

DMIR didn't _quite_ replace the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, but it was a near thing. The Spirit Division had retained its status, not being quite as prejudicial as its Beast and Being counterparts and actually capable of serving a purpose in the rebuilt Wizarding world. The Werewolf Registry and Capture Unit were no more, but the Werewolf Support Services was revamped and now a regularly employed resource for struggling werewolves. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had undergone a severe remodeling (considering Death Eater Walden Macnair's involvement with it, remodeling was in _serious_ order), too. All in all, it had become a department many creatures' rights activists could live with – and that Harry could live with, for that matter.

Level four was actually comprised of multiple offices arranged around a three hundred sixty-degree wrap-around counter space about two feet wide and of varying heights with room in the middle for the clerks and receptionists. The countertop was strategically cluttered with pamphlets of all varieties, the script GUEST SERVICES hovering in the air on a circuit. From the lift, one had a direct line of sight to the office behind the counter, DEPARTMENT HEAD on a plain nameplate in large, uppercase font, the smaller script DAPHNE GREENGRASS underneath it.

Yes, it had surprised the rest of them too. But Daphne had proven herself time and time again, having the managerial skills and diplomatic prowess required from the Department Head of Muggle & Interspecies Relations. He'd visit her after consulting with Interspecies Relations' division leader Dean Thomas.

The dark-skinned man was unperturbed when he walked into his office after a brief knock. The knot between his brows was a good indication that he was also well aware of the impending termination of the Accords. They exchanged brief, wan smiles that betrayed both of their dread. "Hello Harry," Dean greeted, his voice a shadow of its normal vibrancy. "Robards told you the news, then." His inflection was that of a statement instead of a question, so Harry simply nodded in confirmation.

"I want to speak with Taliesin at _Bloody Mary_, but I'd like to go as a dual agent with both Ambassadorial privileges and Auror authority. That will allow me to do all in my power to make sure this is resolved."

"And the Higher Ups don't like that because it gives you more power that the average agent. But with the permission from both department heads and your direct superior, Minister Shacklebolt may be inclined to allow you temporarily to act as both." As he was speaking, Dean was already scribbling his permission onto a piece of parchment. "In light of the situation, I think Kingsley shouldn't have a problem with it. We need this treaty with the vampires to hold out."

"I couldn't agree more. That one was a pain in the arse to get approved."

"It was, wasn't it." They both chuckled at the memories, some of them much funnier now that they were past. "Good luck convincing Daphne, though. She's a stickler for the rulebook."

Harry's smile turned more into a grimace as he scratched the back of his neck. Yeah, that was the one thing about Daphne. She wasn't much for bending the rules, though she had become more flexible over the years. Working diplomacy required flexibility, but she was like Hermione in that she idolized rules. And she wouldn't fall for the puppy dog eyes. He'd have to get creative and sometimes getting creative meant getting dirty.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and Transformers to Hasbro, Takara, with movie rights to Michael Bay. Lost Souls makes no claims of ownership over either and solemnly asks not to be sued, because this is a nonprofit text with the sole purpose of amusing one's self without monetary gain and is in no way meant to undermine the original creators' authority.

**More Than Meets The Eye** by _The Lost Souls of Avalon_

A Harry Potter/Live-action Transformers crossover.

_Ambassador Potter is used to weird things; he's a wizard, after all. But even he isn't prepared for the summons that takes him to a treaty conference between mankind and the Autobots, a potential partnership that may change the course of Earth's future, for better or for worse._

Rated: Teen (for now)

Warnings: Foul language, slash, femslash, sexual content, mech x human, holo x human, mech x mech, violence, AUish

Pairings: Harry x Optimus, Sam x Bee, Will x Ironhide, Mikaela x Maggie, Ron x Hermione, Luna x Neville, Draco x Ginny

Author's note: Takes place after Transformers live-action movie and before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Is not HP Epilogue-compliant. Note on title: Yeah, I know. It's oh so original. And finally: shout out to the super cool Dresden Files book series. I borrowed Dresden because he's too awesome to leave out. Unfortunately, he belongs to the equally super cool Jim Butcher. Oh snap!

* * *

**Chapter Two**: Wizards and Politicians

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Captain Will Lennox stood at attention until Secretary of Defense John Keller acknowledged him with an _at ease, soldier_. As of late, the Pentagon hadn't been his favorite place to hang out. Everyone high up and in the know was dragging their feet on the decision whether to make an official alliance with the Autobots or not. It helped that the SecDef was on his side, but wooing the rest of the Staff was another issue entirely.

"You've been given the go ahead to negotiate a treaty with the Autobots," Keller informed, up front and to the point as always. Will appreciated that in a person. It made things more straightforward and just plain _simpler_.

"Well, _that's_ good news. Sir." He tried, really he did, to keep the edge out of his voice, but it was difficult.

The grimace on Keller's face wasn't one of offense, but of sympathetic understanding. He hadn't been too happy either, it seemed, with the feet dragging. "There's a catch, Captain. The JCS wants a neutral party to supervise, someone with diplomatic experience."

"An outsider?"

"Well, yes, but a trusted one. He's actually quite popular and I think you've met him before." With something that wasn't quite a smile, Keller offered him a manila folder of reasonable thickness. Whoever was featured in it had had a busy career.

Flipping it open, the captain examined the photograph paper-clipped to the first page. He was a young male, probably mid-twenties, with skin just a shade lighter than tan. His features were mildly faelike–that was the only word he could describe it as. He had high cheekbones and full lips, but these slightly feminine attributes were muted by a strong, angular jaw. Rectangular spectacles with partial frames complemented his facial features in a way that was more classy than bookish and they brought out his vivid green eyes, a shade of green Will could admit to never seeing before on a human being–except _one_. He glanced over the ebony hair, longer than he remembered, pulled out of his face and into a loose ponytail so that his forehead was bared. Will had to squint to see it, but it was there all right: the pale jagged line of a scar.

To confirm his suspicions, he averted his gaze from the picture and at the profile page. The text was a clear as day and said, plainly: _Harry J. Potter_. _Auror for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Ambassador-At-Large for Interspecies Relations and Diplomacy._

"He has an impressive track sheet, I must confess. Nagas in India, dwarves in Germany, nosferatu in Romania. To be honest, I haven't heard of most of them––"

"Snakes with the upper body of a human, squat mountain men, and vampires. Hello John."

Will startled and turned, hand reaching for the sidearm that wasn't there for security reasons. A man, well over six feet, with a hawkish face stood in the open doorway, a black leather duster draped over his tall form and a staff in his hand, which he leaned upon as if he required it for support. His mouth was quirked in a half-smile, dark eyes glinting in quiet amusement. Will couldn't help but feel wary of the man. It wasn't so much that he looked dangerous, it was more of a gut instinct that warned him to stay alert while in his presence.

Keller's eyes narrowed fractionally. "Captain Lennox, this is the Secretary of Magical Affairs, Harry Dresden. He's a––_wizard_, and will attend the first few treaty talks. Apparently, the existence of large extraterrestrial robots concerns the magical community just as much the human one."

Dresden merely shrugged his broad shoulders. "I just dropped by to say that the official request has been faxed and we should have a response within the next few hours, time zones taken into consideration." And by faxed, he meant magically. It consisted of a network of special quills, a bit like the Floo, and was quicker than owls and less messy than Floo, a necessity in places that were still behind in the Muggle-Magical technology advancements. Email certainly wouldn't do, as the request required a number of signatures that also cataloged the signer's magic to ensure validity, something that couldn't be accomplished virtually yet by Muggles _or_ wizardkind.

Keller dipped his head shallowly, in acknowledgment. "Well, in that case, if Mr. Potter and his superiors agree, both of you will take a private jet to Heathrow, where you'll pick the lad up and debrief him––"

"A jet." Dresden drawled tepidly. "Two powerful wizards on a small, private jet, across an ocean for eight hours." His sharp eyes, dark and piercing, caught Keller's. "I know you're getting on up there in years, but even _you_ should know better. That private jet won't come back in one piece."

"A modified private jet, Dresden. And both of you will consume a magical sedative half an hour before flying."

If possible, Dresden looked even more disgruntled, teeth bared in a soundless snarl. "That's torture––"

"Whoa, whoa, wait. _Torture_?" Will glanced between the two men in their stare down.

Dresden broke the silent duel of wills a minute later to turn his burning gaze on the captain. "A wizard and his magic are meant to be inseparable. Take that magic away and the wizard loses a part of himself. Suppressing it, even temporarily, is like a normal human trying to function normally through his daily routine without the use of his hands, but ten times worse. A wizard without his magic is like a man without his soul." Something dark passed through his eyes. "I've seen men without their souls and it's not a pretty sight."

Will, unable to suppress a shudder, closed his eyes and swallowed around the painful lump that had abruptly formed in his throat. He wasn't much of a religious man, but that didn't stop him from believing in the existence of souls. What else could cause him grief when he was forced to end another's life and make him swell with joy when he held his baby girl? What kind of life would it be to not have that? Perhaps things wouldn't hurt, but there wouldn't be any happiness either. "Surely there's another way to bring Mr. Potter to the States."

"Of course. But Floo networks don't typically extend across continents and the ones that do, like the one at the White House, are under scrutiny because of recent security breeches, Portkeys between countries are strictly regulated and take time to prepare, and Apparition from such great distances is risky no matter how powerful the wizard is," Dresden explained, his voice tinged with something akin to resentment, but fortunately toned down to a less intense degree. As Will blinked at him in confusion, however, the wizard exhaled loudly through his nostrils and elaborated. "Floo networks connect fireplaces and allow travel between them. Portkeys are objects infused with magic that relocates the person or persons touching it to a predetermined destination. Apparition is a wizard's ability to teleport themselves without the use of Floos or Portkeys, but there's a risk of leaving behind body parts if one doesn't have the proper level of concentration. Plus, you have to be able to envision in your mind's eye where it is you want to Apparate to. To my knowledge, Mr. Potter has only been to the States once."

"Well. That sucks."

"But a plane ride will allow Mr. Potter to look over the case file and absorb the fact that he's negotiating a treaty between mankind and an alien race. That takes time, even for powerful wizards," Keller said. "That's also a reason why you, Captain Lennox, have been ordered to escort them. You have personal experience with the Autobots and your familiarity with Mr. Potter gives you a better chance at getting him to accept the circumstances."

Dresden snorted without ceremony. "You do realize this is _Harry Potter_ you're talking about. Defeated one of the darkest wizards known to man at the age of seventeen. Survived attempts on his life as early as eleven. Hammered a working treaty with _vampires_." It was no secret to the ones in the know in the government that America had a bit of a vampire epidemic and very little headway had been made in negotiating with them. "Giant alien robots won't phase him, I'd bet my duster on it, protective charms and all."

Will may or may not have put a little more distance between him and the wizard. Though he personally had nothing against magic in general, the way Dresden said _protective_ seemed to indicate something more along the lines of _defensive_ and _fully capable of biting back_. His exposure to magic was limited at best and he really hadn't been in contact with it since his first big assignment in Special Forces. They'd been after a trafficking cartel, but were unaware that the cartel was housing two war criminals that the British Aurors were desperately seeking to take into custody. It had nearly ended in an international incident and was actually the catalyst for the cooperation movement between magical and Muggle governments, of which Harry Potter was at the center of.

Of course, he'd been shorter and scrawnier and perhaps a bit more wild-looking back then as a youthful Auror, just over eighteen. The image in the personnel file depicted a cultured man, a few years younger than himself, who was prepared for every curve ball life threw at him. He found himself looking forward to getting reintroduced to the wizard, see in what other ways he'd grown and matured. Maybe this wouldn't be quite the hodgepodge the officials thought it would be.

Dresden, with a brief nod and his face etched with reluctant acceptance at the circumstances and the precautions necessary, bid them farewell. As he left, Will felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he realized then just how much power a human could possess. And this wasn't political or physical power either, things he was aware of and better equipped to handle. Magic was the wild eight ball, the joker in a deck of cards, an uncertain variable hard to anticipate. He didn't like to think of himself as prejudiced, but a soldier was always cautious.

Once it was only the captain and SecDef in the office, Keller cracked the slightest of smiles. "You've been delegated the task of informing the Autobots of the conditions of these treaty talks and get them to agree to them, as well as smooth any concerns they have. This _was_ your idea after all."

"_Thanks_, sir. May I be dismissed? It sounds like I have a busy agenda for the day."

"Of course." Secretary of Defense John Keller's light eyes twinkled and he waited until Lennox was nearly out the door to drop his final bomb. "Oh, and Will? Congratulations on your promotion."

The door closed on William Lennox's surprised face.

* * *

_Next on __More Than Meets The Eye_

**Chapter 3**: Harry meets with Taliesin at the vampire nightclub _Bloody Mary_ to discuss the recent vampire attacks. Meanwhile, the Autobots ponder the conditions of a military alliance with mankind. Harry receives his summons and makes the decision to leave Great Britain.

**Chapter 4**: Harry meets Will and Dresden on the flight from England back to the States and learns of the existence of the Autobots and about the Mission City incident and the subsequent government cover-up. In the next forty-eight hours, he interviews people of interest before flying to meet the Autobots on a carrier at sea.

* * *

Author's note: I have no idea how the Pentagon does their security. I'm literally just pulling stuff out of my ass... On a lighter note, how would everyone feel about a Mikaela x Barricade x Maggie pairing?


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and Transformers to Hasbro, Takara, with movie rights to Michael Bay. Lost Souls makes no claims of ownership over either and solemnly asks not to be sued, because this is a nonprofit text with the sole purpose of amusing one's self without monetary gain and is in no way meant to undermine the original creators' authority.

**More Than Meets The Eye** by _The Lost Souls of Avalon_

A Harry Potter/Live-action Transformers crossover.

_Ambassador Potter is used to weird things; he's a wizard, after all. But even he isn't prepared for the summons that takes him to a treaty conference between mankind and the Autobots, a potential partnership that may change the course of Earth's future, for better or for worse._

Rated: Teen (for now)

Warnings: Foul language, slash, femslash, sexual content, mech x human, holo x human, mech x mech, violence, AUish

Pairings: Harry x Optimus, Sam x Bee, Will x Ironhide, Mikaela x Maggie (maybe a little Mikaela x Barricade x Maggie), Ron x Hermione, Luna x Neville, Draco x Ginny

Author's note: Takes place after Transformers live-action movie and before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Is not HP Epilogue-compliant. Note on title: Yeah, I know. It's oh so original. And finally: shout out to the super cool Dresden Files book series. I borrowed Dresden because he's too awesome to leave out. Unfortunately, he belongs to the equally super cool Jim Butcher. Oh snap!

**Author's note 2**: Since everyone's wondering, I've decided to answer the question of what vampires have to do with the Autobots. Well, truthfully, absolutely nothing. It was something to keep Harry tied to the magical world even when he's across the seas and making treaties with giant alien robots.

* * *

**IMPORTANT**: Three vampire terms you need to be aware of (and that I pulled out of my ass).

A **COVEN** is a close-knit family unit, typically composed of a sire and their first-generation Children; the coven is named after its sire and may be different from the clan name. A **CLAN** is a group of covens, often extensive, where the clan head is the one who sired the coven heads. The **VAMPIRE COURTS** are made up of the clan heads in the European continent and are responsible for governing.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_Bloody Mary_ was a high-end nightclub that catered mostly to vampires and the witches and wizards who were no longer prejudiced towards them. It sat on the edge of Muggle London, straddling both worlds without allowing much crossover. Muggles donated blood in a blood drive held weekly to gain a monthly pass to the ground level, while the witches and wizards who made more _direct_ donations crowded the upper levels with the undead patrons, the Muggle-repelling charms keeping any uninvited guests from discovering the club's magical counterpart.

Harry, like all the other magical or vampire patrons, used the back entrance for access. A bouncer dressed like a security guard was quick to check his wrists for the telltale tattoo that identified him as not only a regular guest, but a preferred donor to the club's manager and clan head, Taliesin Delacroix himself. The man's eyes widened a bit at that realization and he bowed, not quite at the waist, in respect. The badge on his chest that declared him both Auror and Ambassador was secondary in significance.

The doormat just inside a dimmed and sparse foyer was a good three to four meters across and two in depth. When both his feet were planted firmly, a soft glow enveloped the mat, twining around his ankles, and he was abruptly in another foyer, this one tastefully decorated and plenty illuminated. Ahead of him was a wide doorway that led to the hub of the club's activity, but to either side, extending in lavish corridors, were lines of private rooms. The architecture was soundproofed both by technology and magic, and a ward prevented the club's pulsing heartbeat from leaking into the foyer and rooms beyond, so it was peacefully quiet.

The corridors wrapped around the vast clubbing room and opposite of the foyer would be the executive suites, where Harry's target was located. On his way, he admired the trim and décor, which seemed to change each time he visited _Bloody Mary_. Oil lamps mounted on the walls and floral arrangements and ornate trim was something to be expected in perhaps a high-end hotel; one would be hard pressed to believe many indulged in sexual behaviors and vampire tendencies behind these doors. In fact, Taliesin would probably be in the middle of a session––this was approximately one of the times he preferred to feed. Hopefully he wouldn't be too occupied.

The door to the executive suites wasn't different from any of the others, except for a plaque that, instead of having a number, declared it off limits to unauthorized personnel. Another difference was the inconspicuous panel and its hand-shaped depression beside the frame. Knowing the drill, Harry obligingly put his hand in the indicated area, not reacting one bit when something sharp pierced his palm and took a sample of his blood while his prints were scanned, both security measures confirming his identity; the peephole-disguised retina scanner extended shortly after, to ensure it wasn't someone with his severed hand seeking entrance (hey, it had happened before). He heard the faint whir of locks disengaging, but the door remained closed. He'd have to wait for someone on the inside to open it for him (despite its appearance, it was much heavier than it looked).

Taliesin was, after all, a vampire of prestige and had much sway within the Courts; his safety, both at work and home, was not taken lightly. The doormat he'd trod upon earlier was also a security measure, as well, by searching him magically for any potential weapons, recording the magical signature of his wand and matching it to his own core signature, and tagging him with a temporary locator beacon, all magical of course, in case he began to cause trouble and they needed to get him out fast––or if an accident occurred that required medical assistance, on the other hand. Had his wand's signature been inconsistent with his core's (the magical signature of a wand, especially one in use for some time, imitated the signature of its user's core) or had he been carrying any weapons, the device would instantaneously cage him and alert security. Fortunately, neither had happened and he was about as far down the security threat queue as one could get.

About ten seconds passed before the door opened, relatively slow for a vampire which probably meant that Tal had taken the time to escort whoever he was entertaining (or whoever was entertaining him) from the sitting room to one of the extravagant, lush bedrooms the executive suites had (he knew this from experience, but that's a story for another day). Revealed in the doorway was a handsome man, just over six feet in height, that had no reason to look surprised, because the security system would have automatically announced him, but did anyways.

Light auburn hair, more brown than orange, short and stylishly messy, topped a strongly defined face that possessed a few wrinkles indicative of just how old he really was, but also of how often he smiled and laughed and worried. The lines failed to detract from his appearance, merely making him appear experienced in the ways of life instead of just getting on up there in years. He wore a crisp button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly up to his elbows and casual coal slacks, comfy in a pair of loafers. There was no real indication that he was anything but human, except for his maroon eyes.

"Harry!" the deep and accented voice rang musically. "What a pleasant surprise!" Almost too quick for human eyes to catch, Taliesin clutched him around the waist and spun him in a circle before bringing him inside, a fanged smile on his enticing visage. Harry had no chance to protest as he was placed back on his feet with a loud, smacking kiss bestowed upon his mouth, leaving behind a pleasurable tingle. Tal smirked at the wizard's dazed expression and raised Harry's left hand to press his lips to the tattoo in a more traditional greeting. "And what brings you to my humble residence of business?" His eyes narrowed in thought. "I haven't missed an appointment, have I?"

Harry tried to glare at the vampire's abruptness, but he was too busy regaining his equilibrium after being passionately assaulted, so to say. It didn't matter how much exposure you had, the effects of a vampire's allure never lessened and one could never get used to it. Harry was only partially immune, probably for the same reasons he could resist the Imperius Curse and dancing veela, and still needed a moment to recover, which Tal graciously allowed him without having to step out of his personal space. This close Harry could see the faint flush in his cheeks, a good indication he had fed within the last hour. "Was that really necessary?" he asked once he felt as if he could control his voice. He tried to sound reprimanding, but at the amused glint in Tal's eyes, he knew he failed.

"But Harry, how else am I to express just how delighted I am that you visited?" Pale pink lips pouted, but only got a roll of the eyes in response.

"Words, perhaps?" Harry offered, trying to look and sound more agitated than he really was. It was hard to be upset at Taliesin for more than a few minutes at most. He found himself mirroring Tal's earlier grin, unable to dredge up some resentment or negative emotions of any kind. "Sorry, but I'm not here for pleasure. Something's come up."

Taliesin went from playboy to clan leader so fast a mortal would get whiplash. His perfect mouth turned down at the corners as he escorted Harry to the lounge to be seated before seating himself. But his eyes maintained their warmth with the addition of understanding and his lips quirked up slightly when he saw the badge on his robes. "I see your superiors finally realized their folly and gave you dual authority."

"Only temporarily, I'm afraid. They don't like their underlings having more political power than they do." He shrugged before retrieving a folder from a pocket inside his robes. It contained photos of the crime scenes that Robards had authorized him to share. He didn't say anything and instead handed folder to the vampire, letting him draw his on conclusions. He watched as Taliesin opened it and drew in an unnecessary breath, maroon eyes roving fervently over the details as he absorbed it all.

After five of so minutes, Taliesin closed the folder and returned it to Harry. His face was pinched with the comprehension of just how damaging this could be to the Accords. "Well… it isn't a set up… the wounds are certainly authentic. Any suspects?"

"Not yet. I was wondering if you knew of any rogue covens, ones that perhaps weren't happy with the Accords?" There were admittedly a few covens that separated from their clan for some reason or another, but Harry couldn't comprehend why. Being in a clan provided protection from rivaling ones and gave them a voice in the governing process. Even rarer were the rogue vampires that refused involvement in even a coven. There were also vampires who were expelled from their covens for unbecoming behavior and branded as exiles. It wasn't unheard of for exiled vampires to make alliances with each other and form gangs, a rather derogatory term for a coven with unrelated members.

Taliesin shook his head mutely before getting up and pilfering the mini bar for some wine, an expensive brand from what Harry could tell. Harry grimaced in sympathy and let the vampire stew for a bit. He wasn't in any particular hurry to leave.

* * *

Harry James Potter. A highly unassuming name for someone declared to be a––what did the humans call it––wizard. It had been Optimus' understanding that many humans in this day and age believed magic a force of fiction. There wasn't science to prove its existence. And wouldn't there have been more information on file if a magical community truly existed? Here even the U.S. military seemed to endorse its authenticity. It hadn't been so much an issue that they were bringing in a civilian to help mediate, but that this civilian evidently possessed supernatural powers that made him hesitate in the beginning.

Will Lennox did his best to explain, though his knowledge of the subject was a level above the Prime's. It had been Ratchet who pointed out that this magic, instead of being a mythical phenomenon, was in fact an elusive genetic mutation of sorts that could be scientifically explained; human technology was just too primitive to detect it. But he'd seen the gleam in the medic's optics. His intrigue had been piqued; Optimus could see the desire to get the proclaimed wizard under his scanners.

A data pad had been provided with all the files they had on Potter, but it only extended back seven years or so and was unusually sparse. A search of databases in the States and abroad revealed a lack of birth certificate and medical records for his early years. He'd been enrolled in a primary school until he was eleven, upon which he was supposed to attend St. Brutus, a school for incurably criminal boys, but the school itself had now records of him attending a single day. Public records were more or less dead ends and he'd been tempted to contact Will again and inquire whether wizards received a special education apart from the general population, but the newly promoted major was busy making meeting arrangements for the treaty talks.

Well, if Harry Potter accepted the job, the Autobots were to meet him before the talks officially began. In the meantime, it couldn't hurt to check up on Sam and see if Bumblebee had anything to report.

* * *

_Next on __More Than Meets The Eye_

Okay, so I lied about the chapter timeline. Next chapter we'll have Sam's epic break up with Mikaela, Harry accepting the job, and the plane ride.


End file.
